2016 Château Batailley
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Tasting notes
The 2016 Batailley has a glorious bouquet with mint-tinged black fruit, a little more flamboyant than its peers, yet very pure fruit, very intense and delineated. The palate is medium-bodied with fine, slightly grainy tannins. A firm backbone, gentle grip, yet it fans out beautifully whilst maintaining precision and poise. Superb. Tasted blind at the Southwold 10-Year-On tasting.
Critic scores
James Molesworth, Wine Spectator
Wine Spectator
More reviews and scores
Bright garnet with a pale rim. Attractively balanced. Sweet and smooth. But some structure underneath. Ideal for an airline first class? Already easy to enjoy even if not the most vibrant. (JR)
Mid crimson. Fragrant and aromatic. Bright fruit with real life. A success and a wine that can already be broached. More transparency than the Giscours 2016 tasted immediately beforehand. Clean, fresh and approachable. Quite long too. (JR)
The 2016 Batailley has an attractive, meaty bouquet with more red fruit than black, unlike many of its peers. With aeration it appears to gain more floral notes and lift. The palate is medium-bodied with fine tannins, linear and focused, offering pencil lead, cedar and light spicy notes toward the conservative, controlled finish. A mocha-tinged aftertaste emanates from the oak. Good potential, but it needs time. Tasted blind at the Southwold tasting.
About the producer
It was on the site of Batailley in 1453 that one of the final battles (or “batailles”) of the Hundred Years’ War took place. Today owned by the Castéja family, the Fifth Growth is renowned for producing wine that is the epitome of classic Claret.